Search Travel Market Report

mainlogo
www.travelmarketreport.com
  • News
  • Tours & Packages
  • Cruise
  • Hotels & Resorts
  • Destinations
  • Retail Strategies
  • Niche & Luxury
  • Well-Being Travel
  • Training & Events
  • Who We Are
    • Anne Marie Moebes
    • Brian Israel
    • Dan McCarthy
    • Denise Caiazzo
    • Dori Saltzman
    • Kelly Fontenelle

Airbnb Plans To Spread Its Wings Into ‘Flights’

by Michele McDonald / November 29, 2016

CEO Brian Chesky unveiled Airbnb Trips at the company's annual conference. Photo: Airbnb 

The hotel industry has long cast a wary eye on Airbnb. And it’s no wonder: In just eight years, Airbnb, one of the pioneers of the so-called sharing economy, has become the second-largest boutique hospitality brand in the world. It accomplished that feat without ever owning, operating or franchising a hotel.

Now the company is spreading its wings, venturing into local tours and activities, flights and beyond.

At Airbnb’s annual conference, chief executive officer Brian Chesky said the company wants to be involved “in every aspect of the trip.”

In his keynote address, he described trip planning as an arduous research project that can end up consuming as much time as the trip itself.

Airbnb is on a mission to make planning easier. It has structured its activities under an umbrella that it calls “Trips,” which currently comprises Experiences, a sort of tours and activities offering on steroids; Places, which includes Insider Guidebooks, Meet Ups and Audio Walks; and Homes, representing the more than 3 million accommodations available for booking.

A fourth category, Flights and Services, will be added in the future.

Neither Chesky nor Airbnb offered many details about the category, but some hints were dropped in a statement announcing the Trips structure.

“Booking travel today can be complicated and stressful. With Trips, Airbnb aims to make it easy with one app to book most of your travel needs,” the statement said. “Trip Itinerary is a new feature that brings together everything the traveler needs to know into one simple timeline, with the ability to easily book and add Experiences or things to do.”

Over time, Airbnb said, this capability will evolve. Its vision is “to ultimately cater for every aspect of a trip.”

Meanwhile, Airbnb is showcasing its visually striking Experiences category, which aims to immerse travelers into local communities and cultures. Unlike traditional tours and activities aggregators, Experiences skips the glass-bottom boat rides and brewery tours in favor of truffle hunting excursions, burlesque dance lessons, driving classic cars or creating Korean embroidery.

Airbnb’s conference overlapped with The PhoCusWright Conference—an accident, according to Chip Conley, head of global hospitality and strategy for Airbnb.

Conley dropped by the PhoCusWright event for a previously scheduled on-stage interview and dropped another juicy hint about his company’s aspirations: “We want to become the superbrand of travel,” he said.

Asked how far Airbnb would go to achieve that goal—would it, for example, compete with big bus tour companies?—Conley said, “The travel world is big enough for us and the big bus tour company.”

Does that mean Airbnb might operate big bus tours?

“No,” Conley said. He paused, and added, “Not yet.”

  1
  6
Related Articles
Lawmakers Want Answers from Airbnb on Misleading Hosts and Listings
Airbnb’s New Luxury Rental Tier Caters to the Ultra-Wealthy
Airbnb Moves into Adventure Travel
Airbnb to Buy HotelTonight, Pushing Deeper into the Hotel Industry
Judge Blocks New York City Law Aimed at Cracking Down on Airbnb
Why One Travel Agent Doesn’t Use Airbnb
New York City Council Rules Airbnb Must Disclose Host Information
EU Says Airbnb Not in Compliance with Consumer Regulations
Shared Economy Services May Be Losing Their Popularity
Marriott Sets Sights on Airbnb with Home Sharing Partnership

MOST VIEWED

  1. All U.S. Flights Grounded Due to FAA Computer Outage
  2. Delta Air Lines Will Offer Free Wi-Fi Starting on Feb. 1
  3. Norwegian Cruise Line Brings Back COVID-19 Requirements
  4. Forbes Says ‘You Need a Travel Advisor in 2023’
  5. Cruise Ducks: A Cruising Tradition Travel Advisors Should Know About
  6. Here Are the Best Airlines for Flight Delays in North America in 2022

MOST EMAILED

  1. Forbes Says ‘You Need a Travel Advisor in 2023’
  2. Here Are the Automatic & Suggested Gratuity Policies for Each Major Cruise Line
  3. All U.S. Flights Grounded Due to FAA Computer Outage
  4. Delta Air Lines Will Offer Free Wi-Fi Starting on Feb. 1
  5. Tour Operators & Advisors Forced to Cancel Trips as Peru Shuts Down Machu Picchu
  6. Cruise Ducks: A Cruising Tradition Travel Advisors Should Know About
TMR THIS WEEK
Sponsored by Explora Journeys
//services.travelsavers.com/AMGService.svc/REST/GetImage?ImageID=790a5703-649e-ed11-9b4d-005056a855ed&Width=350&Height&250

Selling Savory Cruise Experiences to Foodie Clients

With the boundaries of food and beverage programs being pushed across nearly every sector of cruising, the interest of clients in culinary experiences is also piquing.

Read More...
TMR Subscription

Subscribe today to receive daily in-depth coverage, analysis of industry news, trends and issues that affect how you do business. Subscribe now for free.

Subscribe to TMR

Top Stories
Journeysmiths Expands LATAM Offerings
Journeysmiths Expands LATAM Offerings

The new-to-the-U.S.-FIT operator will expand into five countries by the end of the year. 

Read...
Return to Japan: Intrepid Travel Leads Surge of New Tours
Return to Japan: Intrepid Travel Leads Surge of New Tours

Also, what visitors should know about travel to Japan. 

Read...
Audley Travel Names New President
Audley Travel Names New President

The new hire will take over as president and managing director of its U.S. business starting this May.

Read...
Tour Operators & Advisors Forced to Cancel Trips as Peru Shuts Down Machu Picchu
Tour Operators & Advisors Forced to Cancel Trips as Peru Shuts Down Machu Picchu

As unrest grows in Peru, tours to the ancient city of Machu Picchu are off the table. 

Read...
G Adventures Forms Separate Holding Company, Makes Executive Changes
G Adventures Forms Separate Holding Company, Makes Executive Changes

G Adventures founder Bruce Poon Tip now has a new role. 

Read...
Journese Rewards Advisors with TRIP Points, Good for Personal Travel
Journese Rewards Advisors with TRIP Points, Good for Personal Travel

Just in time for Valentine's Day, Journese is rewarding advisors for romance-themed travel bookings. 

Read...
TMR OUTLOOKS & WHITE PAPERS
river cruise 2022
group outlook 2022
lux cruise outlook
CP White Paper
Multi-Gen Outlook
River Cruise Outlook 2019
View All
Advertiser's Voice
Celebrate National Don’t Plan for Vacation Day with Delta Vacations
About Travel Market Report Mission Staff Advisory Board Advertise
TMR Resources Webinars Calendar of Events Outlook/Whitepapers Previous Sponsored Articles Previous This Week Articles
Subscribe to TMR
Select Language
Do You Have an Idea Email
editor@travelmarketreport.com
Give Us a Call
1-(516) 730-3097
Drop Us a Note
Travel Market Report
71 Audrey Ave, Oyster Bay, NY 11771
News |Tours & Packages |Cruise |Hotels & Resorts |Destinations |Retail Strategies |Niche & Luxury |Well-Being Travel |Training & Events |Who We Are
© 2005 - 2023 Travel Market Report, an American Marketing Group Inc. Company All Rights Reserved | 243 South Street, Oyster Bay, NY, 11771 USA | Telephone (516) 730-3097| Terms and Conditions
Cookie Policy Privacy Policy